Electrically-operated railway-switch.



No. 793,480. PATENTED JUNE 27, 1905. B. S. WAKBMAN.

ELEGTRICALLY OPERATED RAILWAY SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 30, 1904.

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PATENTED JUNE 27, 1905.

B. s. WAKEMAN.

ELE-GTRIGALLY OPERATED RAILWAY SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 30,1904.

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UNITED; STATE Iatented June 190 5.

PATENT OFFICE.

BRYAN S. WAKEMAN, OF S cnAN'roN, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT ANDMESN'E ASSIGNMENTS. TO SCRANTON ELECTRICAL SWITCH AND SIGNAL COMPANY, OFSORANTON, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

PENNSYLVANIA,

ELECTRlCALLY-OPERATED RAILWAY-SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 793,480, dated June 27,1905. Application filed August 30, 1904. Serial No. 222,747.

T0 aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, BRYAN S. WAKEMAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Scranton, in the county of Lackawanna andState ofPennsylvania, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements inElectrically-Operated Railway-Switches, of which the following is aspecification. i v A This invention relates to improvements inelectrically operated rail-wayswitches for trolley systems, the detailsof which will be pointed. out in the followingspecification, taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a planView of a railway-switch with my improvements applied thereto. Fig.

2 is a section through the box containing the switch-actuating devicetaken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1, the mechanism within the box beingshown in side view and partly in section. 3 of Fig. 2.

ferred arrangement of the contact-rails on the road-bed; and Fig. 5 is afront view of a signalthe cover being partly broken away.

1 and 2 indicate 3 and 4 inbox,

Referring to the drawings, the main rails of a railway-track.

dicate the rails of a turnout or branch track,

and 5 indicates the movable switch point, which is of usual constructionand pivotally mounted upon a switch-base 5. A metal box or casing A isset into the road-bed beneath the switch-base and extends at each sideof the as shown in Fig. 1. This casing, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3,contains two similar pairs of magnets B and O, arranged, respectively,at opposite sides of the switch. Each pair of magnets is mounted upon aseparate slide D, and these slides are adjustable within longitudinallygrooved timbers 6, arranged The magnets B inthe bottom of the casing.

and O are adjustable toward and from the center of the casing by meansof an adjustingscrew 7,-engaging threaded openings in lugs d upon theslides D. By turning the screw the magnets may be moved simultaneouslyin opposite directions. The coils of the magnets B are connected by aconductor 8 with an insulated contact-rail I, Fig. 1, arranged upon theroadway between the track-rails, and by a conductor 8 to thetrack-rails. As shown, the conductor 8 is connected to the metal casingA, which is electrically as well as mechanically connected to theswitch-base.

Similarly. the magnets O are connected by a conductor 9 to an insulatedcontact-rail J arranged parallel with the contact-rail I in Fig. 1, andby a conductor 9 to the track-rails through the casing A. Thecontact-rails I and J, Fig. 1, are so arranged that they may be engagedby contact devices upon the car, which are electrically connected to thetrolleywire and movable independently by the motorman. These contactdevices for similar purposes are well known in the art and therefore arenot illustrated. It is apparent that when the contact-rail I iselectrically connected to the trolley-wire the magnets B will beenergized, and when the contact-rail J is electrically connected to thetrolley-wire the magnets C will be energized. As the parallelarrangement of contact-rails I and J (shown in Fig. 1) requires twocontact devices upon each car, I prefer the arrangement shown in Fig. 4,in which the contact-rails I and J are arranged in line with oneanother, so that either may be engaged by a single contact device uponthe car. The magnets are employed to actuate a lever E, which is securedupon a rock-shaft 10, journaled in the sides of the casing midwaybetween the magnets. This lever has armatures F and G at its ends abovethe magnets, and an arm or pintle H extends upward from the center ofthe lever through a transverse slot in the base 5 and its free endengages a recess 11 in the bottom of the switch-point 5. It will be seenthat when the lever is rocked the switch-point moved, and the motormanmay cause the switch-point to be moved in either direction contact-rail,thus causing either the magnets will also be B or the magnets C tobecome energized and operate the lever which actuates the switchpoint.

It is desirable to provide means for varying the leverage. For thispurpose the magnets B and C are made adjustable lengthwise of thecasing, as hereinbefore described, and the lever E is also extensible.As shown, the lever E has a central section 6 secured to the shaft 10and a pair of end sections 6 adjustably connected'to the central sectionby bolts 13, extending through slots 14 in said central section. Themagnets may be adjusted toward and from one another, and the armatureslikewise may be moved to the same extent and kept in position over themagnets. It will be apparent that if the armatures'were rigidly securedto theends of the lever the outward adjustment of the armatures andmagnets would not result in an increase in leverage, as theair-gapbetween each .pair of magnets and its armature would be increasedproportionately when in position for operation, and the attraction ofthe magnet varies inversely as the square of the distance between themagnet and armature. I therefore secure the armaturesF and G to the endsof the adjustable lever E by means of hinge-joints 15, and I arrangeupon the upper ends of the magnets collars K, of brass or other non-magnetic material. These collars surround the upper ends of themagnet-cores 16 (see Fig. 2) and project very slightly above the upperends of the cores, as shown. The collars have beveled faces 70, uponwhich the free ends of the armatures are adapted to rest when inposition to be operated upon, as shown at the left in Fig. 2. Thenon-magnetic collars K prevent the armatures from coming into actualcontact with the magnet pole-p-ieces'and yet. permit the armatures torest very closely to the pole-pieces. In Fig. 2 the parts are shown inthe positions which they occupy after the magnets C have been energized.In this figure thearmature G lies flat againstthe top of the collar K,while the free end of the armature F restsagainstthe inclined faces ofthe collars on the magnets B. When the magnets B are energized, thearmature F will slide on the non-magnetic collars or bearings K and bedrawn down flat against said collars, while the armature G will betilted, its free end sliding on the collars or bearings K and finallyresting upon the beveled faces of the collars close to the pole-piecesof the magnets (J. When it is desired to increase the leverage, thelever E is extended and the magnets adjusted outwardly, as indicated indotted lines in Fig. 2. It will be seen that by adjusting the lever andalso the magnets the hinged armatures will always remain close to themagnet-poles, and consequently the leverage may be varied to anydesirable extent without diminishing the attractive power of the magnetsupon the armatures. Any suitment of the lever being alwaysthe same,thearmatures will not when drawn "down rest flat against the collars K inall adjustments of the magnets and armaturesy'but in all adjustments ofthe magnets and armatures the armatures will rest close to thepole-pieces, so that the magnets "will have practically the sameattract- -ive power upon the armatures in starting the switch-point inall positions of adjustment.

After an armature-and the switch-point have been started by the powerof-a magnet of course the attractive-powerof the latter upon itsarmature increases as the armature approaches the horizontal positionand itis immaterial whether the armature lies flateagainst the ring Kwhen drawn down, the purpose of the hinged armatures being to diminishthe air-gaps as much as possible and to permit the armature atthe highend of the lever to remain in substantially the same'relation to thepole-piece of the'adjacent mag-net whether the lever be shortened orlengthened to-increase the leverage. If when the lever is lengthened thearmatures when drawn down ward will fit flat againstthe collars K whenthe switch-point reachesits i-limit of movement, it will be evident thatwhen the lever is shortened and the magnets are moved correspondinglyinward-the-armatures will not rest fiat against the collars when drawndown ward; but-this isimmaterial, since if the magnet has sufficientpower to start the switch the attractive force of the magnet willincrease until the switchrpointcomes to -a stop,

and the :main purpose of the hinged armatures is to permit themagnets tohave the same starting force upon the armatures with variable leverage.Even without the variable leverage the hinged'armatures are an advantage, as will be readily seen.

The rod H ispreferably made in two parts hand it, the latter beingthreaded into an opening in the former and secured by a checknut 17Thispermitsadjustment of the rod H to suit the distance between therock-shaft 10 and the recess 12 in the switch-point.

In-orderto show .at night which way the switch is set, white and redsignal-lights (indicated by the reference-letters W and R,respectively,) are connected byawire 1'8 to the feed-wires and tospring-contact-strips l9and 20, respectively, upon a base 21, ofinsulating material, within the box or casingA. Acontact-arm 22, securedto the rock-shaft 10, is adapted to engage either the contact19 or theThe rings K having beveled the white light.

contact 20in the extreme positions of the switch. The contact-arm 22 iselectrically connected through the shaft and casing A to the track. Whenthe switch is set for the main line, the contact-arm 22 engages thecontact-point 19 and closes the circuit through When the switch is setfor the branch line, the contact-arm touches the contact-point 20 andcloses the circuit through the red light. If the switch is not thrownfully over to either of its proper positions, the circuit will not becompleted through either light.

The operation of the switch will be understood from the foregoingwithout further description.

It is evident that where my invention is to be applied to a switch whichis normally held in one position by a spring and it is desired to movethe switch-point only in one direction by electromagnetic means a singlemagnet or a pair of magnets, a single armature at one end of thelever,and a single extended contact-rail on the track is all that isnecessary.

Carbon blocks 6 and 1' may be arranged at the ends of the contact-rails,where the circuit is broken by the contact device upon the car to avoidhaving the ends of the rails burned or blistered by the are whichfollows the interruption of the current.

The signal-lights may be arranged within a box 23, Fig. 5, having aglass front 24, upon which are painted the names of the streets at thecorner where the switch is located, and an opaque partition is arrangedwithin the box between the lamps, as shown in said figure, so that wheneither lamp is lighted the name of a street will be displayed andindicate to the motorman the direction for'which the switch is set. Insome cases it may be desirable to display signal-lights withoutoperating the switch, and this may be accomplished by loosening the nut17 and screwing the upper section It of the rod H down into the lowersection it, thus disengaging the rod from the switch-point.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent,

1. The combination with a railway-switch havinga movable switch-point,and a lever operatively connected to said switch-point, of a magnet, astop or bearing adjacent to a polepiece of said magnet and an armaturehinged to said lever and forming a longitudinal extension thereof, saidarmature having its free end normally supported by said stop.

2. The combination with a railway-switch having a movable switch-point,and an ex tensible lever operatively connected to said switch-point, ofan armature hinged to said lever, a magnet arranged adjacent to saidarmature, means for adjusting said magnet lengthwise of the lever, and acircuit for said magnet including acontact strip or rail adapt-' ed tobe engaged by a contact device upon a car.

3. The combination with a railway-switch having a movable switch-point,and a lever operatively connected to said switch-point, of a magnet, astop or hearing adjacent to a polepiece of said magnet, an armaturehinged to said lever and forming a longitudinal extension thereof, saidarmature having its free end normally supported by said stop, and acircuit for said magnet including a contact strip or rail adapted to beengaged by a contact device upon a car.

4. The combination with a railway-switch having a movable switch-point,and an extensible lever operatively connected to said switch-point, ofan armature hinged to said lever, a magnet arranged adjacent to saidarmature, means for supporting the free end of the armature close to butout of contact with the core of the magnet, means for adjusting saidmagnet lengthwise of the lever, and a circuit for said magnet includinga contact strip or rail adapted to be engaged by a contact device upon acar.

5. The combination with a railway-switch having a movable switch-point,and a leveroperatively connected to said switchpoint, of an armaturehinged to said lever, a magnet arranged adjacent to said armature, anonmagnetic support for the free end of said armature arranged to holdsaid armature close to the pole-piece of the magnet, and a circuit forsaid magnet including a contact strip or rail adapted to be engaged by acontact device upon a car.

6. The combination with a railway-switch having a movable switch-point,and a lever operatively connected to said switch-point, of an armaturehinged to said lever, a magnet arranged adjacent to said armature, anonmagnetic support for said armature, said support being arrangedadjacent to the pole-piece of the magnet and having an inclined faceupon which the armature rests, and a circuit for said magnet including acontact strip or rail adapted to be engaged by a contact device upon acar.

7. The combination with a railway-switch having a movable switch-point,of a lever pivoted below the switch-point, an arm connected with thelever and engaging the switchpoint, an armature hinged to one end ofsaid lever, and forming a longitudinal extension thereof, a magnethaving pole-pieces adjacent to said armature, a non-magnetic stoparranged to support the free end of the armature, a contact strip orrail arranged to be engaged by a contact device upon a car, andconductors connecting the coils of said magnet with said contact-stripand the track-rails.

8. The combination with a railway-switch having a movable switch-point,of an exten sible lever pivoted below the switch-point, an

arm connected with the lever and engaging. the sw1tchpo1nt, anarmaturehIHgGd'lJO-ODB end of said lever, a magnet adjacent to said armature,means for adjusting the magnet lengthwise of the lever, a contact stripor rail.

arranged to be engaged by a contact device upon a car, and conductorsconnecting the coils of said magnet with said contact-strip and thetrack-rails.

9. The combination with a railway-switch having amovableswitch-point, ofacentrallypivoted lever operatively connected: to said connecting thecoils of said magnets withsaid contact-strips and the track-rails.

10. The combination with arailfway-switch having a movable switch-point,of a centrally pivoted extensible lever operatively connected to saidswitch-point, armatures hinged to the ends of said lever, magnetsarranged adjacent to said armatures, means for adjusting said:

magnets lengthwise of the lever, contact strips or rails arranged to beengaged by contact devices upon: a car, and conductors connecting thecoils of said magnets with saidcontact-strips andthe track-rails.

tosaid switch-point, armatures hinged to the ends of said lever, magnetsarranged adjacent to said armatures, means for adjusting saidmagnets-lengthwise of the lever, bearings or supports for the free endsof the armaturesarranged" to support the armatures close tobut out ofcontact with the cores of the magnets, contact stri'ps-or rails arrangedto be engaged by contact devices upon a car, andrconductors connectingthe coils of said'magnets with said contact-strips andthe track-railsa12. The combination with a railway-switchhaving a movable switch-point,of a centrallypivotedlextensi ble lever operatively connected to-saidswitch-point, armatures hinged to the ends of said lever,zmagnet'sarranged adjacent to said armatures, means for adjusting said magnetslengthwise of the lever, bearingsor supports,.movable with themagnets,arranged tolsupport' the free ends of the armatures, contactfstrips orrails arranged to-be-engaged by contact devices upon a car, andconductors connecting the coils of said magnets with said contact-stripsand the track-rails.

In testimonywhereofrIaffix my signaturein presence of two witnesses.

BRYAN S.- WAKEMA'N, Witnesses:

G. W. ROBBINS, GHAs. W. DAWSON.

